A PARTNERSHIP FOR OVER 50 YEARS

We know that earlier this year we already talked about the perfect match between our ARA actuator series and the VRG mixing valve series. But did you know that actuators and valves have been developed at ESBE for many years to fit perfectly together? History speaks for itself!

The story of ESBE VRG and ARA

Today, we call our series of mixing valves VRG, and they are available in several versions with different sizes, connections, and applications. Today’s VRG valve is where ESBE’s foundation lies. In the 1930s, we launched our very first mixing valve – Model 100. Back then, it was a large cast iron piece that was manually regulated using the handle on the valve – it’s a bit like our valves in the 3F series (and 4F for four-way, as model 200 was).
The mixing valves shrank over time and were named G, followed by MG (when the transition to brass was made), and in parallel, the demand for motorized control grew. In that development, our first actuator (or motor) – M70 – was born. In 1974, model M70 was introduced as a complement to our G mixing valve, but the pair initially received a rather cold reception. The market did not believe that such a small, inexpensive, and efficient actuator could reliably control a mixing valve. But it could, and despite that, we continued to develop our workhorses.

MG+M60

During the 1970s and 80s, our mixing valves and motors were steadily developed and improved. The valve went from G to MG, and the M80 actuator was launched in the mid-80s. But it was not until the early 1990s that CEO Mats Skogsfors, third-generation Skogsfors, came up with the idea that forms the basis for the ARA actuator. A mixing valve motor with a knob on the front that is easy to adjust and also shows the valve’s position – this was the birth of the M60.
The launch of the M60 in combination with the MG mixing valve at the 1992 Nordbygg fair was nothing short of a success. Reportedly, ESBE’s booth was well-visited by both customers and curious competitors who wanted to see the new compact MG+M60 package – mixing valve and actuator in perfect harmony. In the first year, hundreds of thousands of M60 units were sold, and the success was a fact.

Today’s perfect duo

Today, we continue to develop our actuators and mixing valves to always deliver the high quality that ESBE stands for. ARA and VRG are available in several versions to suit installations for both mixing and diverting functions. They are available as ready-made kits or as individual products for separate selection of valve and actuator. We will never stop developing.

You may also be interested in reading:             

ESBE love story: ARA + VRG = A Match made in heaven 
Rotary units - VRG130+ARA600 
Rotary units – VRG230+ARA600
See our full range of rotary valves 
See our full range of rotary actuators
Read more about the design of the ESBE M60